Linde Energy Navigator: Software-supported energy consulting

How do you find the right energy system for your industrial trucks? Companies are spoiled for choice these days, with options including diesel, LPG, battery and even hydrogen. Thankfully, the Linde Energy Navigator is there to help them make an informed decision. Stefan Roth, Product Manager Energy Solutions at Linde Material Handling in Germany, explains how software-based consulting works and why the results can sometimes be surprising.

Stefan, companies are increasingly asking themselves whether the energy system they are using to power their industrial trucks is still suitable. What is the reason for that?

Considerations like this are often triggered by upcoming new investments. This causes fleet managers and buyers to start thinking about the advantages that alternative energy solutions could offer. Examples include reducing noise and exhaust fumes, reducing the space required for charging stations, improving the material flow, or lowering operating costs. Operators of diesel or gas-powered forklifts in particular often want to switch to quiet, zero-emission and potentially carbon-neutral electric trucks with lithium-ion power units. With the Linde Energy Navigator, they can make these decisions based on facts.

What exactly is the Linde Energy Navigator?

It’s a software-based consulting tool, which we use to help companies find the right type of energy for their industrial trucks.

What does the process look like?

The system records and evaluates data on usage intensity, operational infrastructure, processes, and individual operating conditions, then calculates which energy systems are suitable for these specific circumstances. It then makes a preliminary recommendation of one to three types of energy based on the results of the analysis. Further software-based analyses and simulations are then run using real customer data to further analyze the recommendation and check whether the option is actually feasible. For example, if lithium-ion is recommended, calculations on the battery sizes and chargers are then carried out. We also look at electricity consumption in order to avoid expensive peak loads and identify potential savings. An additional performance audit can also be carried out. This determines the exact costs of the drive system and takes any possible subsidies into account.

What are the advantages of the Linde Energy Navigator compared to conventional consulting?

Our consulting process enables customers to make objective, fact-based decisions. The software takes various factors into account and recognizes which of the available energy types match the customer’s goals. The tool is based on a complex algorithm and draws on an extensive database to evaluate the suitability of different energy solutions for the respective application. This provides companies with a sound basis for decision-making that is based on their individual requirements and priorities.

What types of energy are available to companies these days and how do they differ?

The range of energy solutions is broad and includes diesel, HVO diesel, propellant gas, natural gas, lead-acid, lithium-ion and hydrogen. Each type of energy has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost, environmental impact, and performance. With the Linde Energy Navigator, companies can objectively evaluate these different options and find the right solution for them.

What role does environmental and climate protection play in the decision-making process?

Many companies want to reduce their carbon emissions and make their operations more sustainable. The Linde Energy Navigator takes these objectives into account and shows which type of energy is best suited to the respective reduction targets and priorities. This allows companies to see how their decisions affect the environment and their carbon emissions and, if necessary, adjust their preferences to find a more environmentally friendly solution.

Are there any practical examples of where the Linde Energy Navigator has helped companies to reach a decision?

One example is an international beverage manufacturer with a fleet of 17 forklift trucks that needed to decide whether to stick with LPG or switch to lithium-ion batteries. Using the Linde Energy Navigator, we calculated that a full switch to Li-ION trucks would not make sense, as the operational processes would not leave enough time for opportunity charging. The result came as a great surprise to those responsible for making the decision and convinced them to only convert some of the trucks to lithium-ion batteries and to keep the rest as LPG trucks. This allowed them to maintain productivity levels, while changing at least part of their fleet to more environmentally friendly technology.

Are there any other examples that have produced similar results?

Another beverage manufacturer was also looking for an environmentally friendly alternative for its LPG forklifts. With the help of the Energy Navigator, we recommended switching to trucks with lithium-ion power units. The analyses showed that this could save 154 metric tons of carbon per year. These concrete values prompted the company to buy lithium-ion forklifts. Another example was a paper manufacturer that wanted to switch from diesel to electric due to high fuel prices. However, the on-site conditions meant that their trucks needed the robustness and ground clearance of a combustion engine. Having consulted the Energy Navigator, we ultimately recommended the Linde X electric forklift truck with lithium-ion battery, which combines the advantages of a combustion engine and electric forklift truck.

What are the next steps for the Linde Energy Navigator?

Energy consulting is an ongoing process for us. We are constantly working to optimize the software and expand our consulting expertise. Our aim is to tailor our software-based consulting even more precisely and individually to the needs of our customers, in order to offer them the best possible decision-making tool for cost-efficient, environmentally friendly industrial trucks.